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Alert on second wave of H1N1
Gerldine Panapasa
March 06, 2010

THE Ministry of Health is expecting a second wave of H1N1 in Fiji but its seriousness and timing is unknown.

While receiving 88,000 doses of Panvax H1N1 vaccines from AusAID and the World Health Organisation yesterday, deputy secretary public health Dr Joe Koroivueta said targeted populations had already been identified and specifically mentioned in the deployment plan for the vaccines.

"We do expect a second wave of H1N1 although we do not know how serious it will be nor do we know when it will come," he said.

"We will be vaccinating health care workers simply to keep our health work force functioning.

"The ministry is geared towards implementing a high quality campaign to reduce the burden on the health care system during the imminent second wave of Infuenza A H1N1 2009 pandemic."

Dr Koroivueta said the timely gift of Panvax H1N1 vaccines was sufficient to vaccinate 10 per cent of the targeted population in the country.

He said the deployment plan for the vaccine was part of the national pandemic preparedness and response plan.

"Cabinet had been duly informed of this and endorsed the vaccine donation and vaccine deployment into Fiji," he said.

"The last pandemic brought home our weaknesses and strengths in dealing with pandemics.

"One thing we are happy about is that we did not have a single death. The first case was detected in June last year and we had about 234 laboratory-confirmed cases in Fiji."

He said there were over 700 cases of influenza-like illnesses that have been documented in Fiji this year.

PREPARE for a possible outbreak of a second wave of H1N1 influenza, warns the Ministry of Health.

The alert comes in the wake of a review this week by the ministry's pandemic influenza technical working group (TWG) of their state of preparedness to the reported second wave of H1N1 experienced in Australia and New Zealand.

Ministry media liaison officer Peni Namotu confirmed a high incidence of influenza-like illnesses had been reported by local private clinics.

"Furthermore the ministry's national notifiable disease surveillance system has revealed a high incidence of influenza-like illness in the eastern group of islands amongst primary-age school children in the last month," he said.

This was partly attributed to the present cold conditions experienced at night and the return of students and adults to the islands after the school holidays on the mainland.

National advisor communicable diseases Dr Eric Rafai said there were no available statistics on the number of children who had been diagnosed and treated for influenza-like illnesses.

Clincians were alerted to the situation last month after a Pacific alert by the World Health Organisation and health facilities advised to be vigilant through disease surveillance activities.

Mr Namotu said the 2009 influenza pandemic had a major impact on the central, western and northern divisions however the eastern islands had been spared.

The TWG also discussed the vaccination progress for the pandemic H1N1 supported by the Australian Government and broadcast of pandemic prevention messages on television and radio will continue for another two to three weeks until the group establishes that Fiji has surpassed the second pandemic wave.

Fiji’s Ministry of Health has announced that a surveillance system is now in place to counter both seasonal and pandemic influenza.

This follows the recording of 28 cases of the Influenza A H1N1 virus in the country between from last month to the present in the Central and Western Divisions.

MOH Spokesman Peni Namotu says he current weather has contributed to the spread of the virus and the public is urged to take precautions.
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Friday, October 15, 2010

The Health ministry is on full alert as more cases of the H1N1 virus are expected.

Currently there are 28 recorded cases but seeing how fast the number rose from 7 in August to 28 two months later, Health Ministry spokesperson Peni Namotu says they expect more cases to be reported.

Namotu says the wet weather is a contributing factor to the spread of the deadly virus but November is warmer and it could reduce the spread.

Despite this he says they are not taking any chances.

“All Health Centers are on standby for any other H1N1 cases that will be covered through October until November. From my point of view November will be warm again but right now we are on standby for the ministry of Health.”

Even the outer islands are under the Health Ministry’s surveillance team with samples of blood sent in to determine whether the virus has reached them. Insert: Namotu NEX: 690002/83

“For the outer islands, the surveillance system sends in samples of blood sentiments and it’s tested here at our lab in Mataika House.”
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More H1N1 cases reported
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Health Ministry is again urging the public to take precautions as more cases of H1N1 continue to be confirmed.

Health spokesperson Peni Namotu told FBC News they have received reports of more cases but a total number to date was yet to be confirmed.

28 cases of HIN1 were reported between the months of August to October this year.

The deadly virus is yet to claim its first victim in Fiji and the Health ministry plans to keep it that way with all its health centres around the country on full alert.

The Ministry is expected to release a report and an updated number of confirmed cases today.